


Blue Deception

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-06 12:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10334687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: SPOILERS: Shades of GreyThe drawing of straws...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Blue Deception

##  Blue Deception

##### Written by Brenna   


  


**MISSING SCENE for _Shades of Grey_**

Daniel scanned his office a final time. The papers that normally cluttered the top of his desk had been shoved to the bottom of a drawer along with the dozen post-it-notes that had adorned his computer screen only moments earlier. The computer itself had slipped into stand-by mode. All his reference books had been picked up and stacked on or around the bookshelf. The artifacts that SG-6 had mistakenly retrieved from P3X-794 had been correctly identified and labeled "ROCKS". The objects along with two videos, one on archaeology and one on geology, sat in a box beside the chair awaiting the return of the ill-favored team from off-planet. 

Walking over to the door, Daniel checked his pockets for the essentials; keys, pager, and wallet holding actual money or the plastic facsimile thereof. Life inside the base might have been reduced to dog tags and name badges but life outside the SGC ran by a different set of parameters. 

Taking a deep breath Daniel reached for the knob and froze as the door vibrated with the force of rapid knocking. 

"Dr. Jackson?" A soft voice screeched. 

Silence. Daniel clamped his mouth down on the automatic response to his name. He couldn't be delayed now, not when he was so close to escaping the base. He just had to stay quiet until the voice gave up and left. 

"Dr. Jackson, sir, may I come in?" The door slowly inched open as the voice hesitantly screeched again. 

"Don't bother asking the question if you're not going to wait for the answer." Daniel's voice was cold as he stepped back barely avoiding the door as it continued to swing on its hinges. 

As the door came to rest against the wall Daniel caught his first glimpse of the body belonging to the voice. His mind fought hard to accept the image of the large, bulky young man standing before him. The airmen's frame could have belonged to any college linebacker. Even the bandage wrapped around the young man's left forearm only helped to accentuate the bulge of muscles. Daniel imagined the hesitant voice could only rest comfortably in the body of a stereotypical computer geek. 

"Sorry sir." The linebacker gulped. "Dr. Frasier said to find you even if it meant barging into the ladies room unannounced." The severe scowl on Daniel's face caused the airmen to continue quickly. "I'm sure she was only joking, sir, but fortunately for me, sir, I found you in your office." 

"First of all, I'm a civilian so you can stop addressing me as sir." 

"Sorry, s--" 

"Ah." Daniel raised his finger in warning. 

"Sorry." As the airman relaxed the pitch of his voice lowered to a more pleasing level. "Dr. Frasier wants to see you in the infirmary..." he paused glancing at his watch, "... in five minutes." 

"Tell her --" 

"It's an order, Dr. Jackson, not a request." 

Daniel bit back the refusal already forming on his lips. Arguing with the airman would get him nowhere. "Tell Dr. Frasier I'll be there in a few minutes." He shut the door and sighed. 

Technically it wasn't a lie. After all every group runs by their own system of measurement, to a carpenter a dozen means twelve but to a baker it means thirteen. He supposed even a number as seemingly large as one thousand four hundred and forty could be quantified as a few by some cultures. 

Daniel closed his eyes. He'd just give the airmen a minute to catch the elevator then he could slip out of his office and leave the base before anyone, at least anyone that mattered, noticed he was gone. He had to get off base without running into Sam or Teal'c. He had to... he had to wait. 

The sound of the door opening caused Daniel to swear. 

"I'm sorry Dr. Jackson but you need to be in Dr. Frasier's office in three minutes." 

Opening his eyes, Daniel took a moment to study the young man. He noted the shaking hands and the beads of perspiration on the man's forehead. He would have bet a month's wages the airman was scared but how could Janet, a woman who took an oath 'to do no harm', have intimidated a guy this size. Someday he would have to ask Janet what method of persuasion she found most effective but not today. 

Today only three facts mattered. One, he had to get off base as soon as possible. Two, if Dr. Daniel Jackson could not be intimidated by a god then Janet Frasier was out of luck. Unfortunately, fact number three was parked right in front of his door and didn't give a damn about facts number one or two. 

He had tried leaving quietly. That hadn't worked. He had tried an innocent misrepresentation, rationalizing with himself that 24 hours could be considered a few minutes in the grand scheme of things. That route had failed too. All his options had been exhausted. That left one final chance. 

"Fine," Daniel grumbled as he forced the airman back into the hallway closing his office door behind them. "I'm on my way," he called over his shoulder to the airman as he walked to the waiting elevator. 

Lie. Cheat. Scheme. Plot. Deceive. Daniel really hated the words for what he'd been forced to do but fate was giving him no choice. Stepping into the elevator he pushed the button for the top level where he could catch the outside elevator. He had to get off base, now. 

"Wait for me." The elevator shifted once as the heavy man pushed his way past the closing doors. 

"Oops. I think you hit the wrong button there, Dr. Jackson." The airman smiled nervously as he stepped around Daniel hitting the correct button. 

Daniel hesitated as the doors opened on the infirmary level. 

"After you Dr. Jackson." 

"I don't need an escort." 

"You have your orders, s-- doctor. I have mine." 

* * *

Janet stepped out of her office as the pair arrived. Checking his watch, the airman let out an audible sigh of relief. "I'll just leave you here doc. Good luck." With a nervous smile the young man fled the scene. 

"Daniel," Janet called capturing the young man's attention. As his eyes found hers she bowed her head and gestured for him to join her in the office. 

He paused in mid stride as his brain rushed to decipher the hidden message in the greeting. He'd been so annoyed with the airman he hadn't paused to consider the implication of Frasier's summons. Now standing across from the small brunette, Daniel regretted his lack of intuition. 

Janet's simple movement held more meaning than a hundred glyphs. It was a universal gesture conveying fear, sympathy, loss, and grief from one being to another. Daniel really hated to see the top of someone's head. 

Unconsciously clinching his fists, Daniel stepped forward. He had neither the time nor the patience for the long round of "and how does this make you feel" that was sure to come. Besides, he had to get out of the infirmary before Frasier's next victims, Sam and Teal'c, showed up for their mental physical. It was extremely important that he avoid the rest of his team. 

Biting his lip Daniel decided the best defense was a good offense. 

"You had to send him?" 

"Who?" 

"The wounded linebacker..." 

"Airman Anderson?" 

Daniel nodded making a mental note of the name. 

"You have a problem with Wally?" Janet made no attempt to keep the confusion she felt from seeping into her voice. 

"Of course I don't have a problem with him. I never met the man before today. I do, however, have a problem with you sending a babysitter..." Daniel gestured emphatically at the empty doorway. "... to escort me around the base." 

"I didn't --" 

"The hell you --" 

"Daniel Jackson, you should not speak to Doctor Frasier in such a manner." Teal'c stepped out of the office placing his body between the two scientists. "I asked Airman Anderson to escort you back to the infirmary. In the past you have demonstrated your reluctance to visit this area of the base." 

"I suppose you were timing the guy, too?" Daniel quipped sarcastically. 

"I allowed him fifteen minutes in which to complete the assigned task." 

"Well that explains Mr. Punctuality?" 

"Indeed." A raised eyebrow punctuated Teal'c's reply. 

"Fine. Let's get this over with." Daniel crossed his arms and stepped past his two friends. 

* * *

"Daniel." 

"Sam." 

"I'm sorry if you feel like we ambushed you but we really need to talk." 

"About what?" Daniel leaned against the filing cabinet arms wrapped around his chest. 

Ignoring the sarcastic comment, Janet removed a folder from her desk and offered it to Sam. "As you can see, all the tests I ran on Colonel O'Neill came back normal." 

Sam frowned tossing the medical file back on the desk. "That's not possible is it? I mean something is definitely wrong with the Colonel." 

"Anybody think it could be stress?" Daniel mumbled under his breath. 

"Did you say something Daniel Jackson?" 

"Look, I was on my way off base when I got your message. So if that's all the information Janet can give us --" He took a step toward the door. 

"You can't leave until we decide what to do about the colonel," Sam interjected. 

"You act as if we," his arms flew wildly about in a circle indicating the three remaining members of SG-1, "have a decision to make. There's nothing to decide. Haven't you figured it out by now? Jack makes the decisions. He decided to steal technology from the Tollans. He decided to accept early retirement. And he will decide when it's time for us to talk." 

"Somebody needs to check on him to make sure he's okay. We've got to talk to him." 

"No. We have to leave him alone until he's ready to talk to us." 

"You really believe that?" 

"Yes." The word stuck in his throat. It was hard lying to his friends but Daniel had no choice. 

"Okay Daniel." Sam slowly turned her back on her friend. " I don't understand your reasoning but I can't force you to do anything. I can be ready to go in ten minutes Teal'c. Does that give you enough time?" 

"Wait a minute," Daniel stuttered. "I thought we decided against talking to Jack." 

"No, Daniel Jackson, we did not. You argued that we were no longer capable of making any decisions where Colonel O'Neill was concerned. I am afraid you have spoken in error. Major Carter and myself are quite capable of making a decision and we have decided to talk to Colonel O'Neill. Would you care to join us Dr. Frasier?" 

"No, I think it'd be best if you spoke to the colonel as a team, his team." 

"Wait a minute." Daniel had to think fast. He had to convince Carter and Teal'c to back off. _He_ wanted to talk to Jack. He needed to talk to Jack, alone. "You can't go barging in on Jack like that. He'll think you're trying to gang up on him. You won't accomplish anything that away." 

Daniel paused long enough to gauge his audience's reaction. He was getting through to them. If he could just give them a little push in the right direction then maybe he could finally go find Jack. "If you have to confront him just send one person." 

Sam let out a tired sigh. "Maybe Daniel's right. I don't want the colonel to think we're trying some kind of intervention." Fishing a quarter out of her pocket she continued. "Call it Teal'c, heads or tails?" 

"Sorry Sam." Snatching the quarter as it descended Daniel apologized to his friend. "But if we're choosing a member of the team for a mission than I have to be included too. I may not agree with you but I will stand by you. After all, I'm still a member of SG-1." 

"A necessary member, Dr. Jackson." Sam shook Daniel's shoulder in support and smiled. "So how do you suggest we pick our ambassador." 

"We could arm wrestle for it?" Simultaneously three sets of eyes focused on the Jaffa's biceps. "Nah." He continued with a chuckle, "Why don't we draw straws?" 

"This is an infirmary Daniel not a mess hall," Janet quipped from behind her desk. Then she smiled and began searching through her desk. "Wait a minute. I have the perfect replacement. Instead of straws we can use pencils." The petite doctor held three colored pencils in her hand. 

"This is an infirmary Janet not an elementary school." 

"I'll have you know, Cassie forgot these the last time she was here. Now wipe that smug grin off your face and turn around while I break these. That goes for you too Sam, Teal'c." 

Snap! Snap! Snap! The sound of wood striking metal rang out as portions of the pencils were discarded in the trash can. 

"Okay, you can all turn around now." Janet stood before the group both hands wrapped around the pencils efficiently masking the length of the objects. "Teal'c are you certain you understand the principle behind 'drawing straws'?" 

"Indeed. The object of the game is to pull the shortest _straw_ out of the pile in order to win a privilege. In this case, the shortest straw earns the person who holds it the opportunity to confront Colonel O'Neill, concerning his unusual behavior of late." As he spoke Teal'c stepped forward and removed a green pencil from the doctor's hands. 

The pencil had been broken cleanly in half. 

Sam plucked the red pencil from Janet's grasp. She allowed herself a small smile as she measured it against Teal'c's green pencil. It was clearly only half as long. 

Sam held the shortest 'straw', the winning 'straw', so far. 

Biting his lip, Daniel shot a glance at the red pencil held tightly in Sam's grasp. Was she holding the shortest pencil? 

He had counted three snaps. Had Janet broken all three pencils? Or had she broken the green pencil in half and then the red pencil in half twice, leaving the blue pencil fully intact? 

Daniel had to draw the shortest one. Losing was not an option. 

"Your turn Daniel." Janet's voice broke through his thoughts. 

"Yeah," he replied softly stepping forward. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as his hand came to rest on the blue pencil. 

"Achoo!" Without warning Daniel suddenly sneezed on Janet. 

Chaos erupted as everyone surged toward the doctor. 

"Janet are you okay?" 

"Dr. Frasier may I be of assistance?" 

"I'm so sorry Janet. I didn't mean to... I mean you can send me the cleaning bill. I mean... does anyone have a tissue?" 

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Just let me take this lab coat off," she reassured her friends as she stripped out of the offending garment. "That's better. Now Daniel if you'll just measure your 'straw' against Sam's we'll be done." 

Daniel held his pencil up next to Sam's. It was barely one third as long as the one she had chosen. 

"I guess I won," Daniel declared miserably, dropping the blue pencil in Sam's empty hand. Then he walked out of the infirmary biting down on his lip to hide the smile that threatened to split his face. 

* * *

"Come on Teal'c." Sam grabbed her coat off the back of her chair. "We have to talk to Daniel. He should at least let me --" 

"Major, Teal'c stand down!" Frasier ordered as she blocked their path. 

"What?" 

"You're not to bother Daniel. That's an order?" Ignoring their confused looks she continued to bark orders. "Give me those pencils." 

Janet placed the pencils down on her desk arranging them by size shortest to longest; blue, red, and green. Then she bent down and began groping under her desk. 

"Did you lose something Doctor Frasier?" Teal'c grasped the sides of the desk preparing to lift it off the ground. 

"I didn't lose anything but Daniel did." Finally her fingers brushed against something. "Got it!" 

"What?" Sam called out. 

"This." Frasier held out her hand revealing the remaining portion of the blue pencil. 

"I don't understand?" 

"You drew the shortest pencil, Sam. I never even broke the blue pencil, it was the longest one I was holding." 

"You mean he broke it when he accidentally sneezed on you," Sam grinned. 

"That's our Daniel, archaeologist, linguist, magician..." Janet laughed. "I guess my lab coat was sacrificed for a good cause." 

Teal'c arched his eyebrow. "So Daniel Jackson did not win the drawing of the straws?" 

"No Teal'c," Sam smiled. "Daniel lost." 

**~ Fin ~**

* * *

>   
>  © June 8, 2000 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.  
> 

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